Michael's Old Shoebox

 Alladin had his Cave  -
2nd Lieut Michael Collins has a Shoe Box
Here are a few fine Micks pics from the box:

    
From the left Sgt P. Freeman, CSM W. J. Osborne, -- Sgt Hume, Gdsm Nolan, and Sgt O'Byrne
 Taken at Pirbright about September 1951.

Michael says: " I have seen the photos I sent to Owen Rice are now on your site. 
I would like these fine Micks to know the pictures came from my old shoe-box,
 and  I have good memories of the time we had together."

 

No5 Platoon - 7 Company - IRISH GUARDS  - August 1951

These two excellent photos, from Michael's shoe box, were forwarded by Owen Rice

Michael continues: "I was a post war National Service conscript, April 1950 to April 1952. I was 22345473 Irish Guardsman Collins M. at the Guards Depot, Caterham and later at Eaton Hall OCS.
All this took seven months. I then became 413435, 2nd Lieut., in Chelsea. When the Battalion moved to Germany in late 1951, I had only a few months left before my 2 years were up, so I was shipped off to the
Guards Training Battalion in Pirbright.   
I was on my terminal leave when the King died, and was summoned back to serve a bit longer."

"More fine Micks"
2nd Lieut Andrew Kimpton                 Major J. Keating.  
    
Michael Collins has sent me two more photographs with these comments:
  "Andrew Kimpton (above)  in Pirbright with IG in Guards Training Btn on his bike, circa Sept 1951.  I do not know what ever happened to him....he must be like me three score and twelve by now.
Jack Keating. (right) It was a privilege to know this super fine Mick. I remember him as the Quartermaster of the Guards Training Battalion in Pirbright. I recall I him knew as Jack Keating,
though he was generally called "K".   I, as a young fellow several years post W W 2, found him to be most interesting.  I learned a great deal from him about the war, the regiment, and the many responsibilities of being a super Quartermaster. When I was bored in Pirbright, and often was, I would visit Jack, in his office. When he was not too busy, and with considerable goading, he would tell me about his life, his war experiences and job".

Michael has discovered another gem.....  No. 7 Co IG, at Pirbright: 
The  Inter Company Swimming Champs in 1951
Michael says. "I was an active team member while Capt Mark White our Company Commander enjoys his swimmers victory. !! 
If I remember correctly we played water polo as well as the usual distance races".

Blakey Topping - Yorkshire 1951

In the autumn of 1951 our Pirbright Company went to Yorkshire to a delicious spot called Blakey Topping.  We were here for several days under simulated field conditions.  My main memory is how cold it was, snow and all, and how inadequate was my sleeping bag.

PHOTOGRAPHS
Top Left  The Orderly Room...an old Nissan hut.

Top Right:   Dick Wraxall  (Lord),  lighting his pipe  and standing beside his blackthorn stick.. I still have my blackthorn .....it was standard equipment for an officer as I recall.   In the background is the Blakey Topping.

Bottom left and right:  Rifle inspection with Sgt Mike O'Byrne



"Greetings to Mick O'Byrne who emailed me recently....
fancy making contact with you after 54 years !!"

"And Owen.....thanx for your many postings."  

and now, LAST but not LEAST
GUARDSMAN MAJURY'S BEARSKIN TREATMENT

Gdsm Majury was my saviour when I arrived during 1950 in Chelsea Barracks, London, as a brand new, clueless 2nd Lieut. He was assigned as my "servant", a description I loath.  

In those days it was the practice to ignore totally newcomers in the Officers Mess. No one spoke to me for about a month or took any notice of me. I had no clue what to do regarding the procedures and protocol. It was all rather intimidating. 

But Majury was my mentor.  He knew exactly what I should do and when. Among other tasks he went to the QM's store and collected the items I needed to borrow like the grey top coat, revolver, sword, a bearskin cap and the like.

We had a dress rehearsal in my room, bear skin and all, I said to Majury "This bearskin is fine but I can't see out, the hairs are covering my eyes."  "Tilt it backwards sir " he said, but even with this my vision was impaired.

"Don't worry sir" Majury said, as he left the room to return a few minutes later with a pair of scissors. He proceeded to trim front of the bearskin so I could see out clearly.  Before he started to snip I said to him, "But we can't do this it may ruin the bearskin"  "Don't worry sir", Majury replied "everyone does this to help them see"  
           
Next morning I was on parade in full dress for a newcomers practice drill. The RSM, noticed my neatly trimmed bearskin, stood in front of me and shouted  "Mr Collins...Sir....what is this, what have you done to your bearskin?". 

"Well"  I responded,  "I could not see out so I trimmed it"  " You what "  he hissed, "do you know you are destroying regimental property....who did this" he asked.  "I did Sergeant Major". I responded.

The next morning I was in front of the Adjutant. I was reprimanded, reminded about the destruction of regimental property, told not to leave the barracks except on duty and sentenced to 20 extra pickets.

So, it took about 2 months to work of the extra pickets. I also had extra turns at the unpopular Bank of England and Tower of London guards. Christmas and New Year 1950 were lost because of my stupidity....but Majury was rightly unscathed.

Today, more than 52 years later when I look at the pictures of the time, I laugh, as I am clearly identified by my trimmed bear skin, and am reminded how stupid I was!  I wonder where is Majury and what he did with the rest of his life. He was a fine fellow.

Does anyone know the present whereabouts of anyone else in the photos above ?